Guilty
by ashehole
Summary: What happens when Vanessa discovers the hickey on Michael's neck, left by her own best friend? One shot. Companion to Betrayal


**AN: This is the companion one shot to Betrayal. Oh, and this is dedicated to my good friend, Emersyn. :D **

**Disclaimer: I do not own the DotM. If I did... Yadda yadda yadda. You all know I want Chris.**

Vanessa snuggled in closer to Michael, her arms wrapped securely around his waist, her head tucked under his chin. Michael had one arm lazily laid across her back, as her weight comfortably crushed his body. There were on Vanessa's couch, her laying on top of him, as they watched some movie. Michael actually wasn't paying attention to it.

He wasn't paying much attention to his blonde girlfriend, either.

No, his little mind was more preoccupied with a certain brunette that seemed to tantalize all of his senses.

Not that Vanessa noticed much, either. Her body buzzed with Michael's closeness alone, a content smile on her face. She inhaled deeply. He smelled of soap and spice.

"Michael."

He grunted, and she felt the vibrations in her body. She shifted, her legs moving, her head tilting. She blinked her baby blues at him. He glanced at her from the corner of his eye.

"We're alone, you know," she whispered. Her blonde brows rose up high on her forehead."You suggesting something, my pretty?" He gave her his signature smile, and Vanessa melted all over. _All over_.

"Oh…" She planted small kissed along his jaw line, moving her hands over his chest.

His hands squeezed along her hips and waist, rubbing and teasing. Her fingers moved up, brushing his scalp as she ran her fingers through his beautiful hair. Their lips touched, and Michael hungrily claimed her mouth for his. Vanessa's brows furrowed somewhat, a frowning turning the corners of her mouth as she struggled to keep up with her boyfriend. This was new. He hadn't been like this before, and she didn't understand where his ferocity was coming from exactly.

She felt the dance of his fingers along her back, building tiny fires through her shirt onto her skin. They twisted into her blonde hair, tugging, pulling. It made her feel good: good and confused.

"Hey, what is this?" Vanessa murmured. She lifted her body up slightly to look into his eyes. He slowly focused his glazed over eyes at her.

"What?"

"This mark…" She tilted her head at him, her hair somewhat falling over into her face, curling around her eyes and mouth.

Michael blinked slowly. One blink. Two. "What mark?"

Vanessa pursed her mouth, narrowing her eyes with suspicion. "Is this… A hickey?" She sat up, moving off of her startled boyfriend. She wasn't stupid. Now that she saw it more clearly, it glared up at her, a slight mixture of pink and purple. It was a violation against her.

Because she sure as hell didn't put it there!

Michael sat up next to her. "Yes…" He sighed, looking down at the chocolate brown carpeting.

"You couldn't even lie?!" Vanessa exploded. Her fingers tingled. _Not now, not now_.

The boy looked shocked. "You want me to lie about it?"

"No!" She growled.

He sighed very loudly with his confusion. "I don't understand you…"

"Who was she, Michael?"

"You've dumped me plenty of times for other guys!" He accused her.

"Oh. My. God. Michael. I did it once, and you forgave me for that. Didn't you?" She turned away from him angrily. "Who was she?"

"I don't need this," he muttered, getting up off the couch.

"You're leaving?" Vanessa screeched.

"Yes!"

And then he was gone. Vanessa sat back, gripping her knees tightly. She didn't even feel the tears on her face.

**xXxXxXxXxXx**

Catty squeezed her best friend's hand with growing anxiety as Vanessa poured out her story about Michael's treachery. Her stomach clenched and tightened until she was sure that she would never eat again. Her body shook, but she was sure that Vanessa didn't even notice, what with her own sobbing.

"How… How…" Vanessa gulped, trying to take a few shallow breaths in order to talk. Her face was red, her eyes puffy. Tears had left tracks all down her face.

Catty nibbled on her lip nervously. She made soft, soothing sounds for her friend. She was truly sympathetic.

She was so _guilty_.

Finally, Vanessa seemed able to calm herself, able to breathe again, able to think.

"I don't understand, Catty. What did I do to deserve this?" She ground the heel of her hand into her eyes, smearing her eyeliner even further. Black streaks marked her face.

"You didn't do anything. Some things just happen. Nobody's perfect," Catt mumbled, trying to help her friend without revealing anything about herself.

"I know that!" Vanessa snapped. She bowed her head and sighed. "Michael just always seemed so different."

"He is different, Vanessa," Catty reassured, wrapping her arms tightly around the blonde, holding on. "But he's human, too. You've made some mistakes yourself."

Vanessa rested her full weight on the brunette. "I know… It just hurts. I haven't been able to spend time with because of everything going on in our lives."

Catty pet her friend's hair softly, but her mind was far away. In a jeep, pressed against a door again. She dragged in a deep, shuddering breath.

"I know…"

"No. you can't understand the pain. My heart feels heavy, like… Like…" Vanessa groaned, throwing herself on the bed, knocking Catty over.

"Like your heart is tearing apart, little by little?" Catty took a stab at guessing.

"E-ex-exactly!" She wailed quite freakishly, crying even harder than before.

Catty bit her lip hard, enough so to draw some blood, but she didn't feel any physical pain. All she felt was that she just kept hurting her best friend. And that was the worst feeling of all.


End file.
